


Resonance

by chiapslock



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, M/M, Soulmate AU, Witch!Keith, a lot of fluff, and Keith being a crazy cat lady with his five cats, and meet cute, like there's a little bit of angst and the end but it's mostly fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-01
Updated: 2018-09-01
Packaged: 2019-07-05 13:57:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 19,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15864993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chiapslock/pseuds/chiapslock
Summary: Shiro’s life is chaotic enough without his neighbour’s cat sneaking into his house every night. It doesn’t help that Shiro is starting to develop a crush for said neighbour. The more they meet, the more Shiro starts to like Keith. It’s not his fault if Keith is handsome, funny and frankly quite magical.Problem is, Shiro doesn’t know how accurate that description is.





	1. Shiro

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic written for Sheith Big Bang 2018. I wanted to have a fluff-y fic, at least one of the two.  
> I was honored to be paired up with izzythebaka ([tumblr](http://izzy-the-baka.tumblr.com/) and [twitter](https://twitter.com/IzzyTheBaka)) and she did an incredible art for this fic. I love it check it out [here](https://twitter.com/IzzyTheBaka/status/1035997398785507328) (@twitter) and [here](https://t.co/OcGy5xlvMy) (@tumblr)
> 
> And now, I hope you enjoy this little fic.

The keys to Shiro's apartment jingle in his hand with a vibrancy Shiro doesn't feel. It has been another long day at work and, at this point, he just wants to _sleep_.

He opens the door tiredly, pushing it a little with his shoulder when it gets caught like every other day. He should move out, he knows, his two-room apartment is old and small and there is always something breaking down, but Shiro doesn't spend enough time there to justify the effort of finding another house.

When he's finally inside he leaves his backpack on a chair and looks around. Shiro grimaces at the sight: his house is messy, he's not sure when he last cleaned, and there is a pile of dirty dishes in the sink that has been abandoned there for far too long. If his grandfather could see the state of his apartment, he would give Shiro a stern talking to.

For a moment he thinks about actually cleaning up, that maybe it will make him feel better to come home to a place that’s clean and welcoming, but he feels his entire body sag under the exhaustion. Surely another day won't hurt.

He drags his feet towards the bedroom and when he enters he faceplants on the bed without even looking around. The mattress is soft, the one expensive thing he bought when he moved in, and he relaxes almost immediately.

Here, in his bed, he doesn't have to think about work and everything he needs to do, there is a peace that he can’t find anywhere else. He sighs and allows himself a moment more to hide from the rest of the world. In a second he will have to get up, put on his pajamas, and everything will come back. The difficult case Allura is working on right now, how much research awaits him at the office the day after etcetera, etcetera.

Shiro never thought he would end up becoming a lawyer’s assistant, but, after the accident, every hope of becoming a professional athlete had been broken, and Shiro had to pick his life back up. He thinks he did well for himself, all things considered, and he enjoys working with Allura. She’s an incredible lawyer, twisting the law with terrible efficiency.

Shiro could do without the endless hours of research if he has to be honest.

He feels himself falling asleep, but he knows how uncomfortable it feels to sleep in his work clothes. He groans, getting ready to actually _move_ when he feels his mattress move, sag a little to his left. Shiro opens one eye, his mind still too foggy with exhaustion to really grasp why that's strange, and watches while a black cat yawns and then flops beside Shiro.

The animal looks completely relaxed, purring a little, and it wiggles slightly. It's a rather sweet sight, but Shiro has never seen this cat before in his life.

He's a little forgetful lately, he knows, but he’s sure he would remember if he actually bought a cat —at least, he really hopes so.

With reluctance, he sits up on the bed and looks at the animal. The cat doesn’t seem too bothered about being in a stranger’s home. Actually, Shiro gets the impression that the animal is annoyed at Shiro for moving and removing the only heat source for snuggling.

"Where did you come from?" Shiro wonders, out loud. He feels stupid, but he actually remains silent, almost as if waiting for an answer. He doesn't know why he does it—the chances that the cat will reply to him are pretty slim—and the situation is only becoming more and more ridiculous. "I need a vacation," he admits out loud, massaging his eyes.

When he looks back at the bed, the cat is still there, looking at him like he (or she?) it's studying him.

It's a beautiful cat with a black fur and some white spots on the face and paws. Unfortunately no collar or tag, but he looks too well-behaved and clean to be a stray.

"You're not going to tell me who you belong to, ah?" Shiro asks again, looking around. The window is closed shut, and he can't see any kind of hole in the wall. He has no idea how the cat could have made it inside.

Still, as far as he knows, there is only one person in his building that owns a cat and while he has never talked with the owner of the apartment three doors down from him, the rumor mill talks about him enough that Shiro has picked up a few things. If the cat isn’t his, Shiro will have to set up posters or just hope the cat is gone by the next day.

For a moment he hesitates. He's tired and the idea of getting up is agony. Could he postpone this to the next day? Would it really matter?

He looks back at the cat, who slowly blinks at him and then, with an elegance that only a cat would have, starts to lick his own fur. Maybe the cat would even find his way back home if Shiro doesn't intervene— after all, he found his way into _Shiro_ 's house with no one's help.

But what if the owner is looking for his cat? What if he's scared for his animal and wondering if something happened? Shiro knows what he has to do.

He shakes his head and finally gets up. "You better have come from this building," he says to the cat, "I'm not going around the neighborhood looking for your owner all night."

The cat blinks at him again, unbothered. Yeah, Shiro doesn't believe himself either.

 

 

Keith, the owner of apartment number 303 and Shiro's neighbor, is a bit of a mystery according to the rumor mill of the building—which consists mostly of Ms. Evans from apartment 201 and Mr. Mall from apartment 102.

Apparently, he never stops to talk with anyone else in the building. There are wild theories between the others, but the one thing everyone is sure about it's that Keith has five cats. Hopefully, the one Shiro has found on his bed it's his.

Shiro walks outside his apartment quickly, leaving the trespasser animal to enjoy Shiro's bed—at least someone _is_ — and stops in front of Keith's apartment. He hovers there, feeling a little unsure.

They have never even met each other; wouldn't it be strange? Is Shiro even supposed to know that Keith has cats? Or does it make him look like a creep?

At this point, he's not even sure.

He takes a big breath and pushes forward, knocking on the door twice in quick succession. It's late enough that in any other circumstance Shiro would be wondering if maybe he was disturbing, but there is a little ball of fur on his bed that needs to go home.

Shiro isn't sure what to expect. Maybe someone a little frantic, looking for his lost cat with a desperate fervor, or at least a worried look. The man that opens the door after Shiro's knock looks completely relaxed. It might be possible that he hasn't noticed the disappearance of one of his cats, or maybe Shiro just knocked on the door of a stranger for no reason at all.

Keith has a big red shirt and what seem to be yoga pants, and his hair looks exactly like he just got up from the bed. Shiro winces and wonders if, maybe, it's even later than he realized. He will have to apologize if he has made a mistake.

"Yes?" his neighbor asks, and Shiro winces, realizing he's been staring for too long. _Way to go, Shiro,_ he chastises himself.

"I think I have your cat," he says, all in one breath, hoping to ease some of the awkwardness. Keith’s face changes gradually, going from surprise to confusion in a matter of seconds. There is a certain level of disbelief on his face, and Shiro fears he really might have the wrong house. Maybe the rumor mill is wrong and there’s someone else in the building with a cat. It’s not like they know everything, even if they pretend to.

Keith looks back inside his apartment and Shiro follows his gaze instinctively. Only now he notices the four cats perched on a bookshelf just in front of the door. From the quick look he’s able to send them, they seem to be diverse in fur and build. They are staring at them with an intensity that seems surprising.

It's the first time Shiro has thought of cats as actually scary.

Still, there are only four of them and Shiro relaxes. His neighbor, however, tenses immediately. Gone is the relaxed, almost sleepy, man that had greeted Shiro at the door. Now that he has realized that one of his cats seems to be missing, Keith appears to be panicking.

"You have my cat?" Keith asks, slowly, almost as if he’s accusing Shiro of something. Shiro plays back their conversation until now and realizes he never introduced himself or explained anything besides that panicked blurt. Shiro backpedals as fast as he can.

"What I mean is that I found him inside my apartment when I came back from work! I live in that apartment over there," he hurries to explain, hoping that the other won't think he's a _cat-napper_ —if that even is the appropriate term. "I don't know how he got in, but he's sleeping in my bed right now."

Keith seems skeptical and Shiro almost regrets having left the cat inside his apartment. Almost, because he doesn't want to think what would have happened if he had let the cat actually escape.

"You can come and take him," he continues, a little freaked out by the other's silence. "I swear I'm not holding him hostage."

Keith doesn’t reply immediately, probably digesting everything Shiro just said. It’s a strange situation to be in, he realizes that, but Shiro doesn’t think it should take the other so long to accept what Shiro has just said. Does Keith hate him for some reason? Is he used to people just kidnapping his cats?

It takes a second more before Keith finally moves, nodding and stepping forward. "Fine. I'll come and get Black," he announces, almost as if he's talking to someone else. Shiro wants to look inside the apartment and see if there is someone in there but Keith closes the door behind himself too fast for Shiro to see anything.

It takes a second and a raised eyebrow before Shiro realizes that the other is waiting for him to show him the way. Right, he really needs to sleep.

"Okay, yes, this way," he hurries, walking back towards his apartment. The faster he deals with this, the faster he will be able to get to his bed and _stay_ in it.

Keith is silent while he follows him, and Shiro wonders if he should try to fill the silence. It would probably be the neighborly thing to do, but he's frankly too tired to even try. He's doing a favor to the guy and he feels almost as if he's been treated like a criminal.

Still, he opens his door and only hesitates one second before inviting Keith in. Before he actually steps in, however, Keith touches the side of his door for a moment, looking at it with a pensive look. Shiro blinks, confused, and gets ready to ask if there’s something wrong before Keith simply steps inside with a determined look. This whole night feels more and more strange.

"You know, I really just... found him here..." he tries to explain.

Keith looks at him again, like he's reevaluating him. Shiro is just so confused.  
"Her," Keith says after a second taking Shiro by surprise. "Black is a she," the other explains, shrugging and then walking directly into Shiro's bedroom, almost as if he knew where to find the cat.

He follows behind wondering why this is all happening to him. When he enters the room, he sees Keith with a hand extended towards the bed and Black rising to get closer. It's obvious that the cat is extremely attached to her owner and it warms Shiro's heart a little.

He made the right choice, he knows, and the knowledge is a balm to his tired brain.

"Thank you," Keith says, his voice still unsure. Almost as if he's still trying to understand something.

Shiro is way too tired for all of this. "I'll take a look around tomorrow and see if I can find how she got in," he tells Keith, smiling, " I think you should do the same. I mean she could have gone anywhere. Thankfully she stayed inside."  
Keith nods, resolute. "Don't worry, it won't happen anymore." He looks entirely too serious and Shiro feels a little awkward.

"It's okay, I mean she didn't do anything bad. I don't mind," he reassures Keith, looking directly at the cat. Black really is beautiful, and a part of him hitches to touch. It must be his exhaustion catching up to him. "I could even pet sit sometimes if you need."

Keith blinks, and Shiro wonders if he's as surprised as Shiro feels. Where did that come from? It's not like he dislikes animals, but he really doesn't have the time to pet sit someone else's cats when he spends most of his day at work. He doesn’t even know Keith that well, or what the man does. Maybe he works from home?

Thankfully it doesn't look like Keith will ever pick him up on his offer. "It's okay. We'll just go and let you sleep, you look terrible."

Keith says it completely so _matter-of-factly_ that Shiro doesn't even have it in himself to get angry. He laughs, knowing full well that _terrible_ might even have been a step up from how he actually looks.

"Thank you, I'm looking forward to my bed," he admits, with a tired smile and for the first time since Shiro knocked on his door, Keith relaxes marginally and nods.

"I... thank you. She's important to me, I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't found her tomorrow morning," Keith genuinely admits so Shiro shakes his head.

"It's okay. I'm just glad everything ended well."

Keith picks Black up with the ease of someone used to juggle more than one animal and Black immediately snuggles in his arms, as content as she can be. She seems to be a pretty strange cat, but the clear bond between her and her owner is heartwarming to see. Maybe, if Shiro had the time to take care of an animal, it would be good for him to own a cat.

Shiro moves after a second, turning back towards his front door and he hears Keith following him. He opens the door slowly, looking back at the strange duo. They are both looking at him, human and cat, and there is something a little bit eerie about them.

"Thank you," Keith says again and Shiro almost squirms. He doesn't think he needs to be thanked so many times, everyone else would have done the exact same thing. He's sure it's something that happens all the time.

"Don't worry about it, really," Shiro shrugs and, after a second, Keith and Black exit Shiro apartment.

He watches them go, not sure why, and while Keith doesn’t look back, Black’s head appears beside her owner’s shoulder and she looks in Shiro’s direction. Her eyes shine in the dim light of the hallway and Shiro can’t help but wave at her with a smile. He waits for them to disappear behind Keith's door before he closes his.

If he was less sleepy he would reflect more on the encounter, how there was something strange about it all, but the only thing Shiro wants to do is climb into bed and finally leave the fatigue of the day behind him.

Every plan he had about putting on his pajamas fly out of the window. He removes his own clothes quickly and climbs under the covers in just his boxers.

This will have to do.

 

 

The next day he wakes up late, his cellphone judging him with unanswered calls from Allura and he scrambles to get ready. He doesn’t feel like he rested at all, and there’s a sluggishness to his steps that’s unwelcomed but unfortunately not unusual.

When he opens the door, a little frantic, he certainly doesn't expect to look up and see Keith leaning on his own door and watching Shiro, almost as if he had been waiting for him.

It's a little unsettling, but Shiro still tries to smile at his neighbor. Maybe it’s just a coincidence, and he’s a little too keyed up.

"Good morning," he says, locking his own door. _Maybe_ Keith is just making sure that Shiro's apartment is locked. "I didn't really have the time to check anything yesterday, but the windows are closed and so is the door," he reassures the other turning his doorknob again. It doesn't bulge.

Keith blinks, almost as if that thought had never occurred to him. Honestly, considering yesterday’s incident, the fact that Keith is standing with his door wide open is a security hazard for his cats.

Still, Keith nods after a second. "Good morning," he replies before disappearing back into his own apartment. The door closes behind him with a little click, and Shiro is left a little stunned.

He really doesn't understand Keith, nor what exactly just transpired between them, but he's late and he doesn't have the time to dwell on the thought.

It hovers in the back of his mind the entire day, but he does his best to ignore it.

 

Shiro returns home earlier than the night before. It's early enough that he might even consider eating something before going to sleep. Keith's door is closed shut when he comes back, and he glances at it quickly before entering his own apartment.

Now that he has a bit of free time, he can't help but think about Keith's strange behavior from the night before. He seemed worried about something. Did he have problems with any other neighbor because of the cats?

It might be possible, after all even if Keith's cats are quieter than most, there are people who really don't like having animals live nearby. it's sad to think that maybe Keith had been worried about Black's safety, but he's glad that the misunderstanding has been cleared up quickly.

He advances inside his house, extending his arm to toss his backpack on the couch when he sees something move on top of the shirt he had left on the cushion that morning.

He knows before he even focuses what’s lounging on his couch, and he's not surprised when Black turns towards him and meows.

Shiro sighs, walking towards her. "What are you doing here?" he asks, knowing full well that the cat can't answer him. He only hesitates a second before he extends his hand and starts petting Black. She arches into his touch, almost as if she was waiting for it.

Her fur is soft under his hands, and she starts purring almost immediately. It's a strange reaction, he thinks, no animal has ever liked him that fast. _Maybe_ she recognizes his smell in every corner of the house.

It’s obvious there is something attracting her here, and while he doesn’t know what it is, maybe it’s also the reason she’s being so friendly.

"You're going to make your owner worry," he admonishes her, not really feeling it. Maybe it's something Black does, wander into other people's houses, and that's why Keith had been so strange yesterday. Other people might not have been as accommodating as Shiro, but he really doesn't mind.

Now that he knows he has a full night of sleep in front of him, he even appreciates the minutes he takes to pet the animal. He might even ask Keith to let Black wander into Shiro's apartment more, just as a pick me up every night.

"I know you're comfortable on my shirt," Shiro tells the cat with a smile, "but we have to get you back to your owner."

Black keeps purring, pushing a little into his hand, demanding that he pets her more. It's surprising, but not unwelcome. She really likes to be pet, it seems.

He indulges her for a couple of seconds before he picks her up. The night before he had been too worried about her reaction to attempt this, but she seemed happy in Keith's arms, so he gives it a try. Worst case scenario he gets scratched.

Black doesn't attack him. On the contrary, she seems to like being perched with her head on Shiro's shoulder and she brushes her nose against Shiro's neck. It's cold and it tickles but it's better than a scratch.

Making sure to have a firm hold on her, he exits his apartment. Black doesn't seem particularly scared at being in the corridor, so Shiro doesn't hesitate before he walks towards Keith's door.

He knocks as best as he can while holding on to Black's fur and then he scratches her on the head. She seems appreciative of the attention and she starts purring louder.

It brings a smile to Shiro's face.

He doesn't have to wait as much as the night before for the door to open, and Keith looks more put together. There is no trace of the sleepiness and messy look that had greeted Shiro yesterday. Keith looks alert, and maybe a little annoyed. The moment he focuses on Shiro and Black, happily purring, his face hardens. Shiro thinks there is something strange in his eyes, he looks like someone on the verge of panic. It just convinces Shiro more and more of his theory.

"It seems she found her way into my apartment again," Shiro explains with a smile, trying to reassure his neighbor. Maybe if he makes it clear that he’s not bothered by the intrusion, Keith will relax.

His plan doesn’t work, and Keith only becomes tenser as the seconds advance. Keith’s movements are quick and precise while he hurries to take back Black from Shiro and the cat goes reluctantly, holding to Shiro's shirt with her claws. It’s both endearing and a little unsettling.

"Black," Keith says with a warning tone. It seems to work, and the cat lets go immediately.

When Black is safely back in his arms, Keith’s shoulder sag, unclenching. The man’s entire frame loosens up.

There is something a little uncomfortable about the moment, enough that Shiro tries to divert his attention to anything but Keith. He ends up looking past the man, to the bookshelf where the other four cats are still looking at him just like the night before.

Did they even move?

"I'm sorry," Keith says after a few seconds, "I don't know why she keeps coming into your apartment."

There is something strange in Keith’s words, Shiro thinks, but he can’t pinpoint it. It’s not the way he says it, it’s more _what_ he says. It takes him a couple of seconds to realize that Keith said _why_ and not _how._ It seems that Keith might know more than he lets on, and maybe the mystery of _how_ Black gets into Shiro’s apartment every night is less than a mystery than he had previously thought. At least for her owner.

Shiro still swims in the dark. Maybe Black just likes to sneak out and Keith has never really stopped her from doing it. Maybe Black is one of those animals that don’t deal well with being cooped up, and Keith has always let her roam free. Maybe Keith is just worried that Shiro will just get angry enough to hurt his cat, but doesn’t want to restrain his animal’ movement.

Shiro shivers at the thought.

"Really," Shiro promises, "it's fine. She purred a little and left some fur on my couch, nothing too bad." His attempt at levity doesn't work as well as he hoped, and Keith simply looks at him expressionlessly.

If this is something that worries Keith so much, Shiro has no right to minimize the question. Keith is Black's owner and if he has a problem with his cat sneaking into Shiro's house then the least he can do is try to find a way to stop it.

"Look," he says, a new resolution sparkling inside him, "I have some free time tonight. I'll check to see if I can find the spot she's using to enter my apartment. So this shouldn't happen again."

Keith’s expression doesn’t change, but he nods after a second. "Yeah, this can't happen again." He says it with conviction and with an underline of desperation in his voice. Shiro can only wonder what kind of terrible experiences he's had in the past.

He wants to tell Keith to relax, that nothing would happen to Black, but it's not his cat and he and Keith aren't friends.

"Have a good night," Shiro can only say, taking a step back. "Try to be good for your owner," he says then, addressing the cat.

Black blinks at him, and he likes to pretend that it's her way of saying thanks. He nods towards Keith and then tries to hurry back towards his own home.

Before he can move, however, he hears Keith's voice from behind him. "Wait," the other says, and Shiro turns back towards him, surprised. "My name is Keith."

Shiro has to stop himself from saying _I know that._ He realizes then that they have never actually introduced themselves and while Shiro has actually talked with the rest of the building and knows who Keith is, maybe the other has no idea who Shiro is.

"Ah, yeah. I'm Shiro, nice to meet you." He hopes he looks like someone who is hearing someone else's name for the first time, and not like someone who listens to building-gossip.

Keith seems satisfied and he takes a step back inside his own apartment, closing the door. Shiro hovers in the hallway even more confused than before.

Still, he goes back to his own apartment and spends the next two hours taking it apart to look for Black's entry point. After, he has to give up and admit that he has no idea what the cat could be using to enter the house. There is no hole in the wall, no space in the windows. The air ventilation is shut tight and as much as he tries, he can't find any other entryways.

He wonders what to say to Keith and how much the other will be disappointed in Shiro. He seemed really worried before, wound up too tightly.

Shiro closes his eyes and recalls it so vividly. There was something scared in Keith's eyes, they shone with a light panic that makes Shiro sick. He doesn’t want the other to feel that way, and the idea that he could be the reason for it, makes him feel even worse.

He looks at his completely destroyed apartment and decides that he might as well give it another go.

 

The next day Shiro is exhausted. He went to sleep at three in the morning, after another two searches of his entire house.

He still hasn't found anything and while he doesn’t want to, there is nothing more he can do but give up. He will have to inform Keith that he didn't find anything and he's not looking forward to the conversation.

Keith’s door is closed this morning and Shiro looks at it for almost a minute before leaving.

He can only hope that Black won't enter his apartment again.

 

Shiro isn't really that surprised when, that night, he opens the door to find Black on his kitchen table, licking her paw.

She's completely relaxed, almost as if she doesn't realize what situation she's putting Shiro in. And yet, he can't be angry at her. She's a cat, he should be able to stop her from entering his house.

"You really like coming here, don’t you?" he says, smiling and walking towards her. He lets his backpack slide to the floor, uncaring, and reaches for her.

Just like the day before, Black arches into his touch, purring. Shiro looks at her, fascinated. He doesn't think there was ever someone, after his grandfather passed away, so happy to see him. And she's not even _his_ cat.

He wonders if Black is like this with everyone. Maybe she's just a very social cat, but a part of him likes to pretend that maybe she's like this only with him. Everyone likes to think they are special, after all.

"We have to bring you back to your owner, you know?" he reminds her, with a little smile. "You keep making him worry."

He's reluctant to leave, but he knows he has to. He wonders if Keith will be angry at him, and he isn't looking forward to confronting him.

Black seems to sense his mounting stress and she comes forward, putting her front paw on his chest and rising to brush her head on Shiro's chin. He doesn't know if it's possible for a cat to try and cheer him up, but he wants to believe it is.  
He scratches her a moment and smiles. "It doesn't matter how cute you are," Shiro tells her, "I'm still getting chewed up by your owner. You can’t make up for that."  
  
He picks her up again and just like the night before she settles in his arms without a peep. She has to be the most well-behaved cat he has ever seen—well, besides the sneaking into other people's apartments thing.  
  
Shiro walks the distance between his and Keith's apartment trying to think about what to say. But, this time, the door opens before he can even knock. Keith looks a little frantic, but he freezes completely when he sees Shiro. Maybe he had noticed Black wasn't in the house and was going to Shiro to pick her up.  
  
Shiro smiles apologetically. "I'm sorry," he says, a little awkwardly.  
  
Keith blinks surprised. "Why are you apologizing?" he asks after a second, "it's my cat that keeps sneaking into your house."  
  
It's true, of course, but he had promised Keith and himself that he would have found a solution. Shiro isn't used to failing and the bitter taste of defeat is hard to swallow. "I can't find where she enters from," he admits, ashamed. "I searched every corner of the house, but it's like she teleports inside." Silence falls between them and Shiro sighs. "I'm sorry," he repeats again, feeling a little stupid.  
  
Keith doesn't say anything, but he doesn't reach towards Black. The cat hasn't moved from Shiro's arms, all too happy to snuggle against his chest. It's endearing, and Shiro would smile if he didn't feel responsible for the situation.  
  
"You look tired," Keith notices and looks back at Shiro with a frown.  
  
Shiro _feels_ tired. Too many hours at work and not enough hours of sleep are piling up on his shoulders and every day it's a little more difficult to ignore.  
  
"It's okay. I just need to sleep a little. Maybe eat something," he says, shrugging. There is no need to worry Keith, really. "You can have your cat back and I'll go order something in."  
  
Keith still doesn't reach for Black, and Shiro stands there awkwardly.  
  
"I have made too much to eat," the other says in the end, stepping back from the doorway, "come. It's the least I can do."  
  
It's enough of a surprise that Shiro doesn't react for a second, too stunned to move. He doesn't really agree with Keith, after all, he hasn't done anything to warrant a free meal, but he must be more exhausted than he believed because the next thing he knows he's inside Keith's house.  
  
He blinks, confused, and Black simply jumps down from his arms with an elegance that he envies her.  
  
Shiro watches her trot over to Keith's other cats and now that he can take a good look at them, it’s even more interesting to notice _how_ different they all look.  
  
One of them is completely grey and with short fur. Another is the complete opposite, his fur a warm honey and fluffy enough to be mistaken for a cloud. The other two, who are keeping their distance, are two short hairs. One has a red fur, while the other has a strange mix of colors that almost makes it appear as if it has a green fur.  
  
As much as Black seems taken with Shiro, the others don't seem impressed, keeping their distance and studying him. Well, you can't win them all.  
  
"Take a seat on the couch," Keith tells him, pointing at the sofa in the living room. "I usually eat in front of the TV. Sorry I don't... I don't have chairs."  
  
It's such a strange phrase that he looks back, surprised. Keith looks a little embarrassed by the admission and Shiro really shouldn't laugh in his face. He wants to, however.

"It's okay," he reassures the other, "You're making me dinner. I don't care where we eat it." He doesn't want to tell him that he hasn't had a home cooked meal in years so he's really in no position to judge.

The cashier at the supermarket knows all his favorite microwaved meals. The delivery boys have started calling him by name. That's assuming he has the time to eat, of course, which doesn't happen every night. It's a little mortifying.

But he doesn't say anything to Keith and just sits down on the other's couch. He looks around, intrigued by the furniture and the difference in their apartments. Keith's is bigger than his, but it has fewer windows. Keith has a kitchen, an actual separate kitchen, and Shiro has two messy rooms and not much else.

He wonders what Keith thought the first night, seeing the state his apartment was in. He grimaces, knowing full well there is nothing to be done now.

It only takes a minute for Keith to come back with two plates. On it, Shiro can see two Lasagna and his stomach growls before he can do anything about it.

Keith doesn't say anything when he passes him the plate, but Shiro is too busy admiring the food to care. "Wow, this looks incredible," he says, admiring. "You really did this?"

Keith squirms for a second before sighing. "Not... really. A friend of mine sometimes gives me food, but he's really good."

Shiro looks at Keith, who is deliberately looking down at his plate. _I have made too much_ Keith said, inviting Shiro in, and the excuse sounds mostly endearing to Shiro’s ears. It's strangely nice realizing that Keith might be just as awkward as Shiro.

It makes him feel less alone.

Still, he takes a bite out of his meal and he completely forgets about any awkwardness. This has to be one of the best things he has ever eaten in his life. "This is incredible," he admits, looking up startled, "who’s this friend of yours?"

Keith shrugs, but there is a little smile playing at the edge of his mouth. "He's a cook, in a way. He's a wizard in the kitchen." Keith seems particularly pleased about something, but Shiro doesn't really care, his entire attention devoted to the Lasagna.

So much so that he doesn't even notice Black walking towards him until the cat flops down on the couch beside him. The other cats are still being distant, but Black seems to be content lounging beside Shiro.

Keith's gaze is fixed on Black, and Shiro grimaces, realizing that Keith had seemed less than pleased every other time Black has been affectionate towards him. "She's really friendly, isn't she?" he asks, trying to break the tension. "This must happen all the time."

Keith studies him for a second before he nods and goes back to eating. Shiro is not disappointed with Keith's answer because he doesn't have any right to be.

Black likes him, what does it matter if she also happens to like everyone else?

Shiro goes back to eating as well, and he tries to think of something to say while he swallows.

The silence is uncomfortable, layered with something that Shiro can't decipher, and he itches to move. Say something.

"So. Five cats." He doesn't know what exactly he wanted to say, but Keith looks up to him, waiting for an actual question. Shiro has no idea how to continue. "They must be... demanding?"

Keith observes him for a second before shaking his head. "Not really," he says, "I just have to feed them. They don't need much more attention than that."

"And save them from stranger's houses," Shiro jokes. Keith's smile is a little slow to come, but Shiro is happy to see it.

"That's... a rather new development," Keith admits.

It's a little strange to hear since Shiro had been under the assumption that it must have happened all the time. Maybe Black always returned back on her own.

"Look, I know it must not be nice, having to wonder what happened to your cat," Shiro starts, pushing his food around a little in his plate, "but I promise nothing will happen to her in my apartment. So you can... I mean you don't have to worry so much."

Keith seems surprised by Shiro's words and he tries not to grimace. Maybe he was too forward? Maybe he's only a nuisance? He really doesn't know.

"I'm not worried for her," Keith admits at the end," but it must be annoying, finding a stranger's cat in your house every night."

"I really don't mind," Shiro assures him. "Black is really well-behaved. She mostly purrs. And lets me pet her. It's not a hardship."

"You spent an entire night trying to find where she was coming from," Keith points out. He's studying Shiro, and it's a little disconcerting to see. It’s like Keith is trying to pick him apart and understand everything that makes Shiro what he is.

"You seemed very worried," Shiro immediately responds. "I just felt like I had to try and figure out a way to help."

Keith nods looking back down at his food, but he looks more relaxed now and Shiro feels some of his own tension slip away. Maybe this doesn't need to be so difficult.

"We can let her do what she wants," Shiro proposes with a smile. “I'll bring her back if she sneaks in at night and doesn't come back before it gets late.”

"I still would prefer if she didn't disappear," Keith admits with a grimace, "but I don't think I'm able to stop her."

Shiro wonders what he means. He remembers that there is a high chance that Keith knows exactly from where Black exits and that he hasn't done much to stop her from leaving. Or maybe he has, what does Shiro know.

"I understand. I'm sorry..." he says, sighing and glancing towards Black. The cat seems completely oblivious to their conversation, content with sprawling beside Shiro. Honestly, she's adorable enough that Shiro is tempted to leave his food alone for a while to pet her.

He refrains, however, and looks towards the other cats. Unlike Black, the other four cats are all gathering beside Keith and far away from Shiro. They have been looking at him ever since he stepped into the house, or at least it seems like that.

"I don't think they like me," he says. Keith looks at his other cats and just shrugs.

"They aren't used to strangers," he explains, "they take a while to warm up."

Shiro doesn't know what overcomes him and he says, with a little smile, "So they are more like you than Black is."

Keith blinks, surprised, and Shiro wants to disappear. He and Keith aren't friends, they barely know each other, and Shiro shouldn't be saying things like that to someone he doesn't even know all that well.

Maybe Keith warms up to everyone immediately, maybe Shiro is the odd one out. Maybe he just really doesn't like Shiro—and who could blame him after Shiro keeps making terrible impressions one after another.

Surprisingly, however, Keith smiles. An expression that is a mix of genuine surprise and enjoyment. "Yeah, I guess you could say so."

It's a good expression on him, and Shiro looks at it for way too long. If he doesn't turn away soon, he would enter into _Stalker_ territory.

"Don't lose sleep over this anymore," Keith tells him, and it sounds more like an order than anything else.

"I promise," Shiro immediately replies, looking down. There is the last piece of lasagna on his plate and he finishes it immediately. It gives him something to do, and he hopes to soothe the strange tension in his body with a little distraction.

He's not sure if it works, but at least he feels more settled.

After that they keep the conversation light: Shiro asks Keith what he does for work, and Keith asks Shiro about his working hours. They laugh about the disaster that is Shiro's apartment and then Shiro teases Keith about the chairs.

Shiro feels so comfortable that one hour later he's reluctant to leave, even when the exhaustion is finally catching up to him.

Still, this is the fourth yawn in under a minute, and Keith notices. "You need to go to sleep," the other says, getting up.

Saying that he wants to stay a little bit more would be weird even by their standard—because Shiro is self-aware enough to realize that everything else about their semi-friendship is weird—so he gets up too.

"Yeah. I think my body is finally giving up. Thank you for the food."

"Thank you for the cat. I'm kind of attached, I don't think I could get another."

They both laugh at the joke and Shiro feels a tingly sensation in his chest. It's too early to say that he likes Keith, he knows that, but there is something here that stirs his interest.

_I'm glad your cat came into my house_ he wants to say, but it feels like going a little too fast. So, he simply smiles and scratches Black in the head. "I'll be waiting for you, then."

"Don't encourage her," Keith murmurs from the other side of the room, but Shiro simply smiles.

"Don't listen to him," he whispers conspiratorially at Black, loud enough that Keith is able to hear, "we have all the fun without him."

Keith laughs, a genuine sound, and Shiro feels incredibly proud. He did that.

That night, in his bed, in his room, he thinks about Keith and his five cats and he's overcome by the urge to get up and knock on the other's door. The impulse is strong enough that for a second, he has trouble breathing but it passes as fast as it arrived, and he lays in bed wishing he had something with fur to pet.

God, he really needs to get a grip. And some more sleep, it's obvious that the exhaustion has gotten to his head.  
  
At one point, it just becomes part of Shiro’s usual routine. It doesn’t happen every single night, and as much as he tries, Shiro can’t find any similarities between the nights where Black just appears to be lounging in his apartment.  
A couple of days a week Black is just there, watching Shiro like she doesn’t know _why_ he doesn’t seem happy to have there.

The truth is that Shiro _is_ happy. Not only because he adores Black and has started to buy treats for her in secret, but also because Shiro can admit that he has started to like Keith. Probably more than he should, considering the situation they are in.

His interest in Keith grows the more he gets to interact with him. And it seems that ever since their conversation that night, Keith has decided to open up to him a little bit more.

It doesn’t happen _every_ time he brings Black back to his house, especially because sometimes Shiro returns late at night, but every once in a while, they end up talking in Keith’s house and sharing a meal that Keith’s coworker cooked for him.

Shiro would feel bad about mooching off Keith if the other wasn’t always more than eager. _You’re taking care of my cat,_ Keith usually tells him, _I can share with you some of my food_.

It seems an exaggeration since the most Shiro is doing is petting her a little and then returning her to her owner, but after a while, he stops protesting.

A month in, when Shiro enters his own home and is actually disappointed not to see a black cat inside, he realizes that he’s not disappointed that he didn’t see Black, but that he doesn’t have an excuse to see Keith.

He blinks, sets the bag of cat food on the counter and stops. This one information forces him to reevaluate the last month. Every dinner together, every interaction with Keith.

Looking back at it, Shiro hasn’t been exactly subtle about his crush—even while he didn’t _know_ he had a crush. It’s a little embarrassing, and he wonders if Keith has realized it.

Everything he knows about Keith points to the negative.

It’s not like Keith is stupid, but Shiro gets the sense that the other isn’t always the most empathic. Or good at picking up subtle—and not—clues.

If Shiro wants to pursue this, and he _wants to_ , he might have to push a little more than what he’s doing now.

At the same time, he realizes, if Keith isn’t interested in him this could become awkward _real fast_. After all, there is no way to stop Black from entering Shiro’s apartment, and that would force them to see each other wherever they want to or not. There would be no way for Shiro to avoid Keith in case of rejection.

Shiro might admit he’s not always the most courageous when it comes to this kind of things. Allura says it’s because he’s not used to it since he never had to _pursue_ anyone.

She’s not wrong.

Is he at a point in his life where he even has the time to consider this? Not really. His hours are crazy, and most of the time he doesn’t have time for himself, let alone someone else.

He closes his eyes and takes a step back towards his own door, leaning on it.

_Just a little bit more_. If this feeling doesn’t go away, he promises himself, then he’ll do something about it. Until then, there’s no need to change anything, right?

Shiro is perfectly happy with what he has right now.

 

It doesn’t matter how much he repeats to himself that he has to be normal, for some strange reason every interaction with Keith from _the night_ onward, seems to be getting more and more awkward, at least on Shiro’s part.

The knowledge of his own feelings makes him hyperaware of every single interaction they have. He repeats in his head every conversation, every movement, every blink. It’s an obsession that Shiro can’t quit.

Keith doesn’t really seem to be any different, nor he seems to be picking up Shiro’s discomfort. Maybe he is, though, and he’s just too polite to ask Shiro what the fuck is wrong with him.

A part of Shiro would just like for someone to take him out of his misery and kill him already.

Black seems to be sneaking into his home more and more, probably a cruel twist of fate. Shiro’s happy that he gets to see Keith, of course, but he can’t help feeling like he’s making a fool of himself more and more.

He thinks the worst thing he has ever done is walk straight into his own door because he was too busy looking behind towards Keith. The other had laughed for ten minutes straight, and Shiro had been too enthralled by that laugh to even care too much about his dignity.

In the wise words of Allura, _boy you got it bad_.

He does, and, at this point, there is no denying that his crush has evolved into something a little more permanent. Shiro made a promise to himself and every night he swears that he will ask Keith out.

He fails every morning.

He fails so spectacularly and for so _long_ that even Black seems to be disappointed in him—that’s probably Shiro projecting his feelings onto a cat, he knows, but he can’t help it.

Every night he arrives home to find Black happily napping on his couch he announces to her and his room that he will do it, he’ll ask Keith out but the moment he’s actually standing in front of Keith’s door he freezes.

There is no logical reason for the fear that takes hold of him. Shiro is an adult, and rejection from someone shouldn’t be the end of the world. Sure, if Keith says no to the hypothetical date it will be awkward, but they can still be friends.

Apparently, however, Shiro has been turned into a fifteen years old suffering from his first crush.

“I’ll do it tonight, Black,” he promises the cat every night, but not even Black thinks he’s telling the truth.

 

Two months after meeting Keith and Black, Shiro returns home at two am, feeling more exhausted that he had in a while.

They have a big case in the office and he has been working non-stop on it. They still don’t have everything they need, and the situation seems to become more precarious by the day. Allura is sure they can win this, and he has long learned that Allura never lied. So they have been working hard researching. Tedious and _long_ researches. Until Allura had taken a look at him and ordered him home.

He tried to refuse, but as always, she convinced him. Sometimes he wonders how she does it, but it seems pointless to question Allura’s magic. Her words are her weapon, in the court and outside of it, and she wields them well.

So Shiro returns home, exhausted and feeling the weight of all his hours at work. He feels sluggish, and he actually has to try a couple of times before he manages to put the key in the lock.

Shiro feels so tired that when he enters his apartment he’s actually _surprised_ to see a cat on his kitchen table. It takes a second to register, and Shiro almost laughs out loud. Did he really forget about Black?

“Hey girl,” he says. His voice is low, almost as if talking above a whisper would consume too much energy. He sits at the kitchen table, letting his head fall onto it.

Is it too late to go to Keith’s? Probably. He doesn’t know. Thinking comes hard to him right now.

All he can think about are the mountain of books and documents that await him. Allura is sure that they will win, but Shiro isn’t, and the knowledge that they could lose and let Romelle—their client—down haunts him.

He’s not even a real lawyer, and yet he feels responsible.

After a second, he feels something touch the side of his face. Again, his mind catches up after a second. He sits up, looking around trying to see what just touched his hair, and realizes that it has to be Black.

Shiro smiles, looking back at the cat with fondness. “Are you trying to make me feel better?”

She doesn't reply, obviously, but he decides to take it as an affirmative anyway.

_I’ll be okay_ , he wants to tell her, but he isn’t sure. Unable to do anything he rests his face back on the table, allowing himself a moment of sadness.

Black just flops down beside his face and, after a second, he feels her start to lick his hair. He draws back, a little taken aback, and she watches him with an annoyed expression. It’s strange to see it, and he almost wants to laugh.

“You seem way too human sometimes, you know?” She doesn’t respond in any way and Shiro just smiles at her. He starts to pet her, trying to find some kind of comfort in the mechanical activity.

It’s too late to knock on Keith’s door, and he could use the company for tonight. It’s not like Keith doesn’t know where Black will be, and Shiro can just… enjoy this for a while.

He closes his eyes again, letting the exhaustion overcome him.

Soon his thoughts slow down, and he feels himself actually fall asleep. He should move—nothing good would come if he actually sleeps in a chair—but he doesn’t have the strength to do it.

He’s closer to sleep than wakefulness when someone knocks on his door. First, it’s a single knock, precise and to the point; then, another couple, more insistent. Shiro blinks and tries to focus back on his surroundings.

For a moment he thinks he might have imagined it all when another couple of knocks come from the door.

Shiro looks at Black, who has now diverted all of her attention to the door, and then he gets up.

There aren’t that many people that would come to him at two in the morning, and Black’s reaction already gives him a clue about who it may be.

He’s not really all that surprised when he opens the door to reveal Keith. The other is dressed pretty much in what he had on the first night Shiro had brought Black home. It might be his pajama, he thinks.

He knows it’s a little stupid to focus on that, but Shiro is just going with the motion.

“Keith, I thought you would be sleeping,” he says immediately, taking a step back so Keith could see inside the house. “Black is here, I wanted to bring her back tomorrow morning.”

Keith doesn’t even look behind Shiro and for a moment they remain there, watching each other. There is something strange about Keith tonight: he seems tense and his eyes are a little wild. For a second, Shiro can’t help but be worried about him.

“Did something happ—” he starts to ask, but Keith talks at the same time and Shiro catches only the end of his question.

He hears Keith say _with me_ , but nothing before that. He laughs, a little embarrassed. “Sorry, I didn’t catch that, what did you say?”  
Keith furrows his brows and then repeats, looking a little annoyed, “do you want to go out with me?”

Shiro blinks. Then takes a moment and blinks again. _What_?

It would be awkward to ask Keith to repeat himself again, but Shiro really wants to. He’s sure he heard wrong. There’s no way that Keith just asked him out at two AM, right?

Maybe Shiro is dreaming. It feels like it.

Still, Keith is there, and it seems like he might be getting impatient. Or, possibly, he’s just nervous. Because he asked Shiro out and Shiro is just standing there like a very useless doormat.

“Sure?” he croaks, a little surprised. It’s not the best answer he could have given and he’s a little embarrassed about his own voice. Who answers with _sure?_? People who won’t get another date, that’s who.

He coughs a little, feeling redness rise up his cheeks. He’s too tired to deal with this, but he still doesn’t want to ruin everything before he can even understand if it’s real or not.

“I mean, I would love to.” There, that’s better right? Less awkward and a little more confident.

Keith relaxes after his answer and he even smiles at Shiro a little. It’s frankly a little too much right now.

“Okay, we’ll discuss the details later then,” Keith tells him, finally looking into the apartment. “Let’s go, Black.” He doesn’t wait and just turns, walking back towards his apartment.

Shiro wants to stop him, still a little stunned, but he stops when he sees Black walk past Shiro and towards Keith. It’s the first time he has seen Black behave this way and he’s too surprised to do anything.

He watches as Keith opens the door to his apartment and Black enters quickly. It’s only then that Keith looks back towards him and waves. Before Shiro can even reply, Keith enters his home and closes the door.

Shiro follows suit, still a little too shocked. What happened? Did Keith actually ask him out? And did Shiro actually say yes in the worst way possible?

He closes his eyes and decides that it’s too late and he’s too tired for this. He’ll figure it out in the morning.


	2. Keith

When the door closes behind him, Keith looks at Black. The cat, unbothered by her owner’s displeasure just jumps on the couch.

The truth is that it’s not completely her fault, Keith knows that. He should have tried to put an end to this two months ago. At least, he should have _tried_ to.

“Are you happy now?” he asks the cat, feeling a little annoyed at the meddling.

Black, who looks _extremely_ satisfied, just licks her own pawn. _The cat that got the cream_ , right.

Keith sighs and walks over to the couch.

The moment he sits down, Red climbs onto his lap, as usual. Of all of his cats, Red is the one that he feels the closest to. They are similar in many aspects and it’s not strange that Red ended up being the familiar with the closest bond to Keith’s favorite root of magic.

It’s not unusual for Witches to have more than one familiar and, usually, each one of them represented the Witch’s ability to wield a specific kind of magic. Keith has been granted _five_ familiars, an extremely high number, but Black has always been the strangest of the group.

While all of his other familiars are bound to a realm of magic Keith has access to—even if he could use some better than others—Black is attuned to Soul magic, one type of magic Keith has never been able to use.

Still, his connection to Black is there, as strong as his other familiars, an Keith has never asked too many questions about it. Now, he regrets that.

Of course, no one had thought Black would be there to guide him to his _soulmate_. It’s not an ability that most familiars possess, but Keith can’t deny it anymore. Not after tonight.

He hadn’t appreciated being woken up by an immediate sense of worry. For a second, he had thought that something had happened, that someone had started to attack his wards, only to realize that the sensation came from Black and not another one of his cats.

Black’s worry had been encompassing and, for a moment, Keith had been frozen to the spot. Worried as well for Shiro, for his exhaustion, for the bags under his eyes. Black’s feelings, Keith’s own feelings in that moment, were all focused on Shiro.

And Keith had been forced to accept the truth.

When Shiro had knocked on his door that first night claiming to have one of his cats, Keith had been suspicious. A witch’s familiar didn’t leave their side, not without a direct command. Except Black had. Time and time again he had been surprised by Shiro coming by with a sheepish smile and Black in his arms.

In the beginning, Keith had been wary Shiro, but he had examined his apartment the first night and there was nothing that would indicate that Shiro wasn’t a normal human.

Still, he had refused to believe that Black could be teleporting to his _soulmate_ so he had started to spend some time with Shiro, hoping to find something. He had only found out that Shiro was… a nice, normal and handsome human. Nothing less and possibly much more.

But also, Keith had a choice. While Black was pointing him in the direction of Shiro, there was no way to force a relationship. One of them would have to do the first step and Keith had stopped himself, unwilling to give in.

Even tonight he had gone to Shiro’s place to retrieve Black and make _sure_ that nothing was wrong with Shiro (just because he’s trying to show that he doesn’t need a soulmate, he isn’t blind to the fact that he _likes_ Shiro too much). The moment he had seen the other, however, looking entirely too exhausted, something inside of him had finally snapped.

Now, he has a date with him, and it’s his cat’s fault.

“Will you stop teleporting to him now?” he asks, looking towards Black. The cat doesn’t even look in his direction, and Keith knows it’s all the answer he will get.

Can Keith really say he’s bothered by the outcome? His stubbornness seems stupid now, with Shiro unsure but happy smile in his mind. He _likes_ Shiro and that should be enough.

The fact that his familiar is convinced that they are soulmates shouldn’t influence him in any way. They can just take it slow and see where it goes.

Red starts purring in his laps and Keith smiles, content.

 

The day after it’s a little strange when they casually meet each other in the hallway. The word _later_ floats in the air with the reminder of their date and the fact that they haven't really planned anything.

Still, Keith smiles at Shiro, hoping to ease some of the uncomfortable air around them. The other's reply is immediate, blinding Keith with a shy but excited smile. It's one of the rare days when Keith needs to go to the store in the early mornings, and so he and Shiro walk towards the elevator together.

Shiro fidgets beside him, a bundle of nerves, and Keith would like to pretend he didn't understand his nervousness, but the truth is that there is something twisting inside his stomach. He feels shy and bothered by Shiro's presence and the need to impress him.

"You're taking him to the vet?" Shiro asks, and Keith blinks, confused. A second later he remembers the cat carrier he's holding and the fact that Yellow is sleeping in there.

Keith shakes his head. "He enjoys coming to work with me, and my boss is okay with him hanging around the shop," he explains, thinking about how much Yellow likes Hunk's shop. It was mostly because of all the potions that Hunk brewed and Yellow, as the familiar closest to the magic branch of transmutation, enjoyed the air in the backroom.

Of course, he can't really explain that to Shiro in details, but there is no need to lie more than it's required.

"So you work in a shop?" Shiro questions, with interest.

"Yeah. It's a... herbalist shop. We help people with homebrew cures." There is some truth to what Keith is saying, but there is so much more that he's omitting by choice. Of course, Hunk is a skilled herbalist, but most of the potions he brews are used to help people with rather... _supernatural_ problems. Lance is there to use his magic to infuse the potions with as much healing magic as he could, and Keith... Keith's is there to make sure they have a plan B if the potions don’t work. His specialty, after all, is offensive magic.

"That sounds..." Shiro stops, evidently trying to phrase his first reaction in a way that won't offend him. Keith quietly laughs.

"Doesn't sound like me?" he wonders, while the elevator's door opens in front of them.

Shiro chuckles, nervously. "Yeah. Sorry." A second later he's smiling already. "But that only shows that I don't know that much about you. You're a bit of a mystery, aren't you?"

_You have no idea_ , he wants to say, but he only smirks, amused. Shiro holds the door open for him and then hovers a little instead of moving. Keith turns towards him, surprised.

"Do you... I mean, we'll probably see each other tonight if Black decides to come but... cell phones. It might be useful." Shiro is a bit of a sputtering mess and Keith really shouldn't find him as adorable as he does.

It seems strange, after having spent two months fighting this, that now he gets to enjoy Shiro blushing in front of him. It makes his efforts to deny this incredibly stupid.

Keith smiles, holding out his hand. Shiro registers the movement after a second and then he hurries to give him his cell phone. Keith inputs in his number and makes sure to text himself.

"All done. We'll talk later, then," He promises, with a smile.

Shiro nods and then nods again. "We have a date to plan, after all."

 

 

"Why are you smiling?" Lance asks him, for the third time that day. Keith hurries to hide his cell phone from the other's sight and focuses on the potion again.

"I can't smile, now?" he asks, pretending to be engrossed in the liquid in front of him. He peers inside the cauldron and wonders what exactly he's making. He remembers that Hunk's instructions, in the beginning, were for a protecting potion, but he might have added something he shouldn't have. There is a clear smell of citric in the potion and that is a clear sign that it would burn anything it came in contact with.

"You hate mixing potions," Lance reminds him, getting closer, "and coming to the shop in the morning. And you especially _hate_ having to deliver the potions. So, I ask again," Lance raises a hand then touches Keith's chest with a finger. "Why," another poke, "are you," another poke, " _smiling?_ "

Before Keith can say anything a little buzz catches both of their attention. They freeze for a second before they move at the same time, descending onto Keith's cell phone. Unfortunately, Lance wins the battle and runs away with it in his grasp.

"Is this why you've been smiling?" he teases, looking at the incoming message. Keith stands up, trying to stop him, but Lance continues, reading out loud: " _So, tomorrow at seven at the bar near home? It's not much, but I should be able to make it_. Keith, do you have a date?"

See, this is why he didn't want Lance to know. He will make a big deal out of it when he and Shiro haven't even gone on a first date. Lance doesn't even know about Black and he's making such a big fuss.

"It's nothing," he mumbles, taking the cell phone away from the other's hand. He pauses a second before replying with a simple _Ok_. He would have said more, if not for Lance's presence hovering right behind him.

"Keith, you haven't dated in _years_. It is a big deal!" His friend almost sing-songs, smiling. "And I will make fun of you for as long as I'm able."

"Why aren't you two working?" Hunk wonders, entering the room. Yellow is perched on his shoulder, lazily enjoying Hunk's aura. The client he was serving must have left the shop and Keith hopes that Hunk won't be too angry about the ruined potion.

Lance immediately turns towards their friend with a smile and Keith groans. "Listen. Keith. This Keith. Has a date," Lance says with a teasing tone.

Hunk blinks and smiles too, looking at Lance. "How much time was it since the last time?"

"I don't know, _years_. I was starting to give up _hope_." Lance sighs with an overdramatic shiver and Keith just glares at them. He hoped Hunk would be a little more compassionate, but he should have known.

"It's just a date," he says, grinding his teeth.

"With who?" Hunk asks, walking towards Keith's potion. He looks at it and sniffs before he scrunches up his nose. "And why did you add dragonfly wings to this?"

Keith doesn't know how to reply to the second question and _definitely_ doesn't want to reply to the first, so he remains silent. Maybe if he doesn't give them anything else, they'll just move on.

"His name is Shiro," Lance says, getting closer to Hunk. "They'll see each other outside _home_ tonight. Seems a little more serious than _nothing_."

Hunk seems surprised for a second, forgetting about the ruined potion, "You've already been to his house?"

"No!" he says, before backtracking, "well, yes. But only because we live in the same building. He's my neighbor." He doesn't tell them about Black, or anything regarding soulmates. He knows the moment he tells them about Black's teleporting they'll figure it out. Keith needs some time to get used to the idea before he tells them.

"That's nice. Wait, is he the neighbor that likes my Lasagna?" Hunk wonders out loud, "have you been using my food to flirt with him?"

Keith hadn't. In the beginning. That first night it had really been a spontaneous invite, born more out of surprise and curiosity than anything else. Lately... Keith isn't sure. Maybe a little flirting.

"This is getting better by the second!" Lance exclaims, clapping his hands.

Keith can feel the beginning of a blush touching his cheeks and he decides that a strategic retreat might be the only strategy here. "Is the potion ready? I'm delivering it now."

"What? We're not done! Come on!" Lance pouts at him, but Keith is steadfast in his resolve. He takes the damn potion and runs out of the shop as fast as he can.

Behind him, he hears Hunk call him and scream: "Don't worry, next time I'll make a Lasagna good enough to get you laid."

Keith really hates his friends.

 

 

The clock reads 6:45 PM and Keith is already standing in front of the bar that Shiro mentioned. Would it seem a little too eager if he entered and took a seat? He doesn't really know the social conventions for dating.

He wishes one of his cats was with him now, but Yellow is still with Hunk and the others are back at home and not that inclined to go out. Even if they could go out, his familiars usually preferred staying home unless Keith ordered them to leave.

Yellow, and now Black, are the only exceptions.

In the end, he thinks that being caught staring at the bar's door might be more embarrassing than being over-eager so he takes a step forward when he hears a voice call him. He turns only to see Shiro advancing towards him with a smile.

Great, just what Keith wanted to avoid.

"Shiro. Hi," he says, hoping not to sound too uncomfortable. Shiro smiles at him, and he doesn't seem to think that Keith is too much of a dork.

"Did you just arrive?" Shiro wonders and Keith can only nod. _I've been standing here for the past five minutes_ is just too much.

They step into the bar together, sitting at a table close to the window. And for the first fifteen minutes, while they order and then wait for the drinks to arrive, it's... _awful_. It's awkward, they don't know what to say and every time someone tries to start a conversation, they talk over each other. By the time the drinks arrive, Keith thinks this might have been a bad idea.

Black is probably mistaken, and now he would have to suffer Lance's incessant mockery for a terrible date. Great.

Keith sips on his drink, thinking that maybe he could find an excuse to leave early—he has five cats, the excuses come easily—when Shiro sighs.

"I'm sorry," the other says, shyly. "I think I'm a little too nervous and I'm... I mean we had no problems talking at your house with all the cats staring at us."

It's true. They had talked at Keith's house, enough for this situation to be strange. They usually get along much better. Is it really the nerves?

"Do we just need to ask them to bring some cats?" he asks then, trying to smile. Shiro blinks, surprised and then he smiles as well.

"As long as four of them glare at me the entire time," he jokes, drinking.

It's not like Keith can tell him it's not true. His familiars are deeply untrusting and generally don't like other people. They do usually glare at Shiro, watching closely. All except Black, obviously.

"It's just because you don't have Black purring in your lap," Keith says then and he's rewarded by Shiro's laugh.

"You really shouldn't be jealous because your cat likes me better," Shiro replies cheekily, with a smirk. Keith can't help but shrug.

"She has good taste," he replies, feeling a little bold. Shiro blinks, surprised, before he starts to blush. The sight is an ample reward for Keith's reckless words.

After that, the night evolves much more smoothly. They talk and flirt and it's effortless, like they broke down an invisible wall.

From the corner of his eyes, Keith can see Black watch them from the window of the bar. He huffs at her, refusing to agree that she was right.

Shiro laughs again, then, and Keith doesn't even notice Black teleporting back home.

 

"You know," Lance says, staring right at Keith. "I can't believe you've been in a relationship for the past four months and we haven't met the guy."

Keith knew it was only a matter of time before Lance asked. Still, he's not glad that it finally happened. He doesn't have a good explanation for him.

The reason why Keith has yet to introduce Shiro to his friends isn't because he doesn't _want to_ —as much as Lance and Hunk annoy him sometimes, they are his best friends—but he knows that the moment Shiro tells them how they met... they'll know more than Keith is comfortable to reveal.

Even after four months, Keith can't really believe that Shiro is his soulmate. Black hasn't stopped teleporting inside Shiro's apartment every other night, but it's not really a hassle. Sometimes it's because Keith orders her to go, to ensure he gets to see his boyfriend for the night.

Still, as long as Keith doesn't _acknowledge_ it, it's like they are a normal couple, learning to know each other little by little. Not predestined to fall in love by a teleporting familiar.

Also, Keith has been struggling with the idea of telling Shiro about his secret. Shiro is just a normal human and Keith doesn't know how he'd take the existence of witches and other supernatural creatures.

Keeping Shiro away from Keith's life seems... logical.

It doesn't mean that he's happy about it.

"I'm ashamed of you," he replies then, as deadpan as he can be. Lance sputters in front of him.

"You take that back! We're like your _only_ friends," Lance reminds him, pointing a finger at him. "He might start to think that you're a hermit. Or a crazy cat lady."

Keith barely musters the strength to glare at Lance before looking back down at the enchanted weapon he should be examining. Lance has a point, Shiro has already joked many times about Keith being a crazy cat lady, but he doesn't need to tell Lance that.

"It's all right, Lance, he'll introduce him to us when he's sure," Hunk says from behind the counter. He's working on a potion, but his mind doesn't seem to be completely in it.

"But I want to meet him _now,_ " Lance complains. However, he backs down from Keith and walks towards Hunk, leaving him alone.

It's only a temporary respite, Keith knows that perfectly well, but he should enjoy it as long as it lasts.

One day he'll have to come clean with everybody. Shiro most of all. He might be dreading the moment, but there's a part of him that _knows_ Shiro will accept him if he comes clean.

From what Keith has learned about Shiro in the past months, he's a man that values honesty in the relationship. The longer Keith keeps it a secret, the worst it will be. Knowing he should do something, however, doesn't make _doing it_ easier.

He goes back to examine the weapon and promises himself to tell the truth to Shiro soon.

 

 

Days later, he still hasn't kept the promise to himself. Every time he tries, something stops him. It feels like the words don't want to leave his throat. If Keith couldn't sense magic, he would think there was something supernatural at work here.

Beside this, however, his relationship with Shiro is going stronger than he would have ever imagined. So much so that even Keith's other familiars have started accepting Shiro.

The day Red climbed on Shiro's lap, Keith froze. While he loves and feels connected to all of his familiars, it’s special when it’s Red.

Shiro, of course, couldn't know the importance of that moment. He petted the cat with a shy but elated smile, looking at Keith like he just won the lottery. Keith almost revealed the truth to him here and there.

Instead now, three weeks after the fact, Shiro is still in the dark and they are watching a movie, Black purring slightly on Shiro's lap. Red is mostly sleeping by Keith's side, but he's dangerously close to touching Shiro's tights with his tail. It's a clear sign that Red has completely accepted Shiro.

Shiro is slowly caressing Keith's arm, and at this moment Keith can't imagine anything more perfect. It's why he actually opens his mouth, sure this time that he _has_ to say something. He loathes to ruin the moment, but he wants to enjoy it without secrets between them.

"Shiro..." he starts, but before he can continue someone knocks at his door.

Keith doesn't remember inviting anyone over, and there aren't that many people that know his address. Quickly he gets up, walking towards the door.

It happens sometimes that work follows him to his house, especially when they have to deal with some of the more aggressive clients. Keith can only hope this is not the case, with Shiro watching his movements from the couch—confused but not worried.

He feels Blue brush on his legs while he sends a wave of protective magic towards the door. If it's someone that means him or Shiro harm, he will be pushed back the moment he tries to enter the apartment. Might not be the most powerful of enchantments, but it's the best he can do now.

Keith opens the door slowly, ready to fight if necessary when he finally sees who is standing on the other side of the door.

"What are you doing here?" he wonders out loud, glaring at Hunk and Lance. He has his suspicions about their presence, but he hopes he's wrong.

"I want to say this was Hunk's idea," Lance immediately replies, but the smirk on his face betrays the fact that Lance was more than a willing participant in Hunk's scheme.

"It actually was," Hunk confirms, with a smile. "Four months is a lot, and we were curious."

Keith wants to send them both away before Shiro can actually see them, but Shiro moves too quickly appearing behind them, called by the conversation.

"Who is it?" He hears his boyfriend ask, walking towards the door. Keith knows the moment the other slides up behind him because Lance's eyes widen with surprise.

"You must be Shiro!" Lance says with a friendly smile. "I'm Lance and this is Hunk. We're friends of Keith's."

"We're sorry for interrupting," Hunk continues, with a soft smile. No one would be able to tell what a snake he actually is. "We just wanted to catch up with Keith, but if you guys are busy we can just go."

"Yes. Thank-" Keith tries, starting to push the door closed when Shiro stops him.

"Wait, you mean Hunk as the one that cooks for Keith sometimes?" he asks, with glee. "I love your cooking, Hunk. I wanted to say _thank you_ , but Keith didn't want to give me your number."

"Well, we can fix that tonight," Lance exclaims, pushing inside Keith's apartment. Unfortunately, the spell doesn't affect him. Keith almost sight in disappointment.

Keith watches as Lance takes Shiro towards the living room, where their film remains abandoned.

Hunk stays back with Keith to reassure him with a smile. "I know it was a little bit of a push." He doesn't sound sorry, not really, and Keith huffs in annoyance.

"You can stay for an hour," he says, "but then you're leaving. We had plans tonight."

Hunk only nods, smiling, and entering the apartment.

 

Hours later, Keith can admit that it hasn't been the worst idea. Shiro gets along well with both Lance and Hunk, and the cats have stayed away from them. Beside Yellow, who had approached Hunk immediately, the other familiars have been looking at them from their perch.

All in all, Keith might even be happy about Lance and Hunk's unnecessary meddling and he's finally starting to relax.

He's happy that Shiro gets along so well with his friends. He can freely admit, at least in his mind, that Shiro is starting to become incredibly important to him. Someone might even say that he's falling for him so hard he should be suspecting a love potion. Yet, he knows it's just Shiro.

Everything Shiro is and does only make Keith like him more and more. Sometimes he thinks that his feelings must be clear on his face when he looks at the other.

He's lost in his daydreaming so much that he doesn't notice Black. She probably teleports next to Shiro, the little ninja, and before Keith can even react, she brushes on Shiro's hand affectionately.

Keith, Lance, and Hunk freeze while Shiro, oblivious to the sudden tension, picks up Black to put her on his lap and stroke her fur.

It’s a scene that Keith has seen more times than he can count, but he knows that both Lance and Hunk will know the significance of it. _This_ is exactly why he didn’t want to organize this.

Keith avoids looking in his friends’ direction, knowing full well what he'd see there.

Shiro must notice the shift in the air too, after a second, and he blinks confused. "Everything okay?" he asks, looking around between them. Keith opens his mouth and then closes it a second later. Black just revealed not only Keith's feelings but his secret, to Lance and Hunk. A part of him feels almost naked because of it.

"Oh it's..." Hunk tries, coughing a little in discomfort, "Black isn't normally an affectionate cat." That is putting it mildly. Black has never even allowed anyone other than Keith to pet her before. Let alone be put in someone's laps.

"Really?" Shiro asks, still oblivious to what is really happening. "She's always been a sweetheart with me. But then, we have a secret bond." It's like seeing a car crash in the making. Keith should stop Shiro, but he's too shocked to do anything but watch. "She keeps sneaking in my apartment. She must like it there."

Lance coughs, choking on air, and Hunk just looks at Shiro like he has three heads. Keith knows what they are thinking, what they easily put together by knowing Keith and his magic so well.

Lance and Hunk might not have familiars as peculiar as Keith, but anyone that practices the magic arts know what all this means.

Keith sees Lance opening his mouth to say something and he just springs up. "I think it's time for you to go," he blurts. His voice is a little higher than normal, but he doesn't care.

Shiro blinks, startled, but Keith advances towards Hunk and Lance and takes their arms, dragging them away from the living room. Normally he wouldn't be able to, but he allows some magic to flow into his hands. Soon, he's strong enough to drag them without problems.

"Keith?" Shiro wonders out loud, but Keith doesn't even respond to him.

Once they are at the front door Lance finally speaks, his voice low and incredulous. "What the _hell_?"

Keith promptly pushes them out of the door and then closes it as fast as he can. He puts a silencing charm on it too, for good measure.

"Is everything all right?" Shiro's voice reaches Keith hesitantly. After all, there is no way for Shiro to interpret what has just happened. To him, Keith has just kicked out his two friends for no apparent reason.

This, Keith thinks, would be a perfect time to explain everything. Before this gets out of his control or even more complicated. He could just... come clean with Shiro and tell him the truth.

He turns, looking into his boyfriend's worried eyes, and he opens his mouth to continue from where Lance and Hunk interrupted. And then he closes it again.

"I just wanted to spend some time alone with you," Keith hears himself say, "they stayed too long."

Shiro surprised but flattered laugh is enough to make him relax. Not tonight, he tells himself. Tomorrow he'll have to face Lance and Hunk, and he doesn't want to have this discussion with Shiro so close to another confrontation.

He has time, he tries to convince himself while Shiro advances on him. All the time in the world, he repeats to himself, while Shiro kisses him.

 

He isn't surprised when, the next day, he enters the shop to find both Hunk and Lance waiting for him. They turn towards him immediately, fixing him with a deer in headlight expression. It seems like a night to think about it hasn't been of much help to them.

Or to Keith.

He doesn't know what to tell them, how to explain the situation without revealing too much of himself and his relationship with Shiro. Still, he doesn’t think he has any other choice.

"You found your _soulmate_?" Lance screams, in the end, and Keith actually flinches.

"I mean," he tries, shuffling in place, "can we be really sure...?"

"Yes," Hunk says immediately, watching Keith like he's crazy. "Yes, we can. Black is a soul familiar, you _know_ that. That's basically what she does!"

"Not really," Keith protests, more out of habit than anything else, "she's..."

"I don't care!" Lance interrupts him, quite rudely. "You found your _soulmate_ and you waited _four months_ to tell us!"

"Well, he's not _your_ soulmate!" Keith replied, exasperated.

"So you admit he's your soulmate!" Hunk immediately counters and Keith just huffs in frustration.

"Whatever he is, it's between me and him!" at that both Lance and Hunk stay silent. Keith doesn't look at them, afraid of what he'll see. Their silence should feel like a victory, but it's nothing of the sort. They are judging him, evaluating everything Keith has done or said in the past four months and putting it all in context. He’s an open book to them.

"It should," Lance says after a few seconds. "So why doesn't _he_ know anything?"

It's the question he was trying to avoid. One thing was to hide his nature from Shiro if they were just boyfriends, but if this whole _soulmate_ thing is true. Shiro has a right to know.

Yet...

"I will," he says, gritting his teeth. "I just need to find the right time."

"That's not how it works," Lance continues, sneaking some glances at Hunk for support. "You need to tell him now. _Everything."_

"And I _will_ ," Keith repeats. He sounds a little desperate and he fears that he might _appear_ desperate too.

It's clear that Lance isn't going to let this go easily, but Hunk places a hand on his shoulders, stopping him.

"You're right that it's not of our business," Hunk tells him, gentle, "but the more you wait, the worse it will be. I just want you to remember that."

Keith knows he's right, but he's starting to lose faith in his courage. It’s nothing different than what he’s been telling himself all this time, and yet Shiro is still oblivious.

But if this accident has taught him something is that he doesn’t have much time to come clean. He will tell him soon, _really_. Keith just needs the right time.

 


	3. Shiro

Seven months ago, Shiro couldn't have imagined he would be this happy. Work is as stressful as usual, but he's starting to get the hang of it. And his personal life... well, his personal life is going incredibly well.

After five months of actual dating, Shiro can safely say that he loves Keith and that there is something strong to build on. He doesn't even care that they met in the strangest way possible.

He has stopped looking for Black's entry point long ago and now he cherishes the night he comes home to find Black asleep in his bed. Some nights, nowadays, he uses her as an excuse to go and sleep in Keith's bed.

Keith might be onto him, but Shiro doesn't think he minds.

Shiro has met Keith's friends a month prior and they are now good friends. Even Allura, Matt and Pidge have met Keith and approved of him.

His relationship, he thinks, couldn't do better than this.

It's why he has decided to surprise Keith today. Shiro has a couple of days free since they have closed a big case, while Keith had woken up early that morning to go to the shop. Usually, Keith doesn't really leave for work before eleven AM and every time he has to go to the shop earlier than that, he grumbles and mutters darkly against both Hunk and Lance.

Shiro understands perfectly well, not being a morning person himself, but he also finds Keith extremely cute when he gets like that.

He recognizes that he might have a problem.

It's why, however, he has decided to surprise Keith and his colleagues with some food. Hunk might be a better chef than most restaurant around the city, but he also has a softness for sweets. Keith, Shiro knows, would just be happy to eat anything.

Shiro proudly looks at the container full of sweet mignons and hopes he bought enough. He's also happy for the excuse to see Keith. He might be a little bit lovesick, but every moment he spends away from Keith, he feels a dull pain in his chest. Missing Keith seems to be his natural state lately.

He's so excited he doesn't even look before entering the shop. The usual bell rings in his ear, a welcomed and known sound from the other times Shiro has visited Hunk's shop, and he looks up to greet the employees. He completely freezes at the sight that awaits him.

There is someone towering in front of the counter. His skin is completely green and he's taller than any man Shiro has ever seen. The man, _creature_ , has sharp fangs, scars all over his face, and yellow angry eyes. He's looking at Shiro and growling in his direction.

Just beside him, there's Keith, a hand raised almost as if to push the other man. Keith is turned towards Shiro, his face a mix of worry and dread. Just behind him, there are Lance and Hunk, completely paralyzed.

The air is completely still, the growling of the creature the only audible sound in the air.

Shiro wants to ask what's going on, but the unknown _man_ starts talking.

"I paid you for a service," he says, low and angry, "and I demand it."

"Look," Hunk immediately replies, "can we just talk about it in another moment? Just..." his voice is a little panicked and he keeps looking at Shiro with a strange expression.

There is something going on here. It can't just be the shock of the strange man in front of them. Keith looks scared, his gaze fixed on Shiro like he can’t bear to look away.

Shiro wants to believe that the man talking is just a man, he really wants to, but it doesn't make any sense. Because of Keith's reaction, because of Hunk's strange shop. Because that has to be a carbon copy of any Ogre image he has ever seen in his life.

It isn't just a man with an incredibly realistic cosplay. He _knows_ that.

"Shiro..." Keith says, but he's rudely interrupted by the _Ogre._

"I want another potion! One that works this time!" the creature screams, loud enough for Shiro to take a step back, startled.

It's why he sees the moment the Ogre raises his large hand towards Hunk, violence clear in his gesture, and why he sees Keith turn and stop him just by raising his hand.

There is a red glow around Keith's hands, a glimpse of something Shiro has never seen before. _Magic_ , his brain provides him. Impossibly, there is no other explanation.

The Ogre snarls at the meddling and turns on Keith fast. There is rage in his eyes, but Shiro can't do anything but watch as the creature lounges towards Keith only to be easily pushed back against the wall.

Keith didn't even move, and yet his eyes burn with power and a mystery that he has kept a secret from Shiro all this time. This Keith is nothing like the one Shiro knows. He looks wild, powerful. He’s beautiful. It's an image that takes Shiro's breathe away, but also _hurts_ him.

He sees Lance scramble towards the Ogre and put some kind of barrier around him. Probably something to keep him still.

Only then Keith turns back towards Shiro. His eyes are normal now, there is no trace of the power that he wielded mere seconds ago. No sign of the entity that is unknown to Shiro. Only Keith remains.

And yet, this isn't his Keith.

While Shiro has opened up to Keith completely, baring all his secrets to him, he realizes now that Keith had been guarded. Keith hadn't let Shiro in. Shiro told Keith about his accident, about his insecurities, about his job. Keith…

There is an entire world here that Shiro isn't allowed to enter. That Keith kept a secret from him.

He feels stupid.

Shiro takes a step back unconsciously and Keith takes a step forward. It’s almost as if Keith doesn't want the space between them to grow, but at the same time, he won't close it. Isn't that a metaphor for this situation?

"I came to bring sweets," Shiro says then, remembering the box in his hand. His romantic idea embarrasses him now. What had he been thinking? "I..." he looks around and spots a little table with some items on display. He leaves the box there, uncaring of ruining something, and then he turns.

Shiro hears someone call for him, but he's out of the shop before he can understand who it was. The moment the door closes behind him, the voice disappears as well.

Maybe some kind of silencing charm? Or some kind of glamour to keep outsiders out? God, what is his life that he's even considering those as a serious possibility?

He doesn't know what Keith is. He has read enough books to know that Keith was wielding magic, but he doesn't know what that means. He feels dizzy, all his energy gone in a matter of seconds.

"--ro! Shiro!" he recognizes Keith's voice, calling for him desperately. A part of him wants to stop, wait for him and allow him to explain. Another part of him wants to run faster.

He forces himself to slow down, to still his feet.

"Please," Keith says, when he's close enough, "let me explain. Just..."

Keith is panting, having rushed after him. It should be flattering, but Shiro doesn't feel anything. There is a void in his chest, a black hole consuming him whole.

"I was always honest with you," Shiro says, allowing some of the hurt to transpire in his words. "I told you things I have never told anyone, I..."

"Please Shiro," Keith pleads, "We can't talk about this here. I'll tell you anything you want. Just…"

Does Shiro believe him? Yes. He turns towards Keith fully and he can read in his eyes that he's sincere. He will answer all of Shiro's question, he will tell him everything. Shiro also realizes that it's too late.

"Why didn't you tell me anything?" he asks, his voice devoid of any emotion.

Keith seems unsettled by his question, but also a little annoyed. He's starting to get defensive, Shiro realizes with startling clarity. This Keith that keeps secrets, that has powers Shiro can't even comprehend at his disposal, acts exactly like Shiro's boyfriend of five months.

"It's not exactly something you say to the first person that comes around!" Keith replies. He's lashing out, Shiro can see it clearly, and normally he would try to soothe the situation. Keith would only feel worse after, regretting everything he said in anger.

Today Shiro lets him.

"Five months." It's the only thing he says, a reminder of how much time they had spent together. Shiro doesn't think as Keith as the _first person that came around_ , but if Keith does then it's better to know now.

"I know! And I _was_ going to tell you!" Keith confirms, exasperated, "I was just waiting for the right time!"

Shiro blinks and then nods. He understands, of course he does. This is a secret bigger than Shiro ever imagined, but it doesn't soothe the hurt. "It passed," he replies, allowing himself a moment of petty revenge. Then he turns, walking away.

"Shiro? Wait, Shiro, please..." Keith hurries after him.

"Leave me _alone_ ," Shiro grits between his teeth. He hears Keith stop, following his instructions, and Shiro just keeps going.

 

 

The first thing he does when he arrives home is taking his laptop and googling anything he can think of: Ogre, Witch, Warlock, Healing potions, Potion Store. He finds a lot of Harry Potter related entries, but not much that seems actually legit information.

Is there even anything to be found? Mages probably aren't stupid enough to leave information about them out in the open for anyone to find. Still, Shiro reads all the myths. He reads everything he can, hungry for knowledge.

He needs answers, but he doesn't want to ask Keith.

After almost an hour of fruitless searching, he's ready to throw the computer at the wall, he almost actually does it too, but when he raises his head, Black is there. She's looking at him from the other side of the table and Shiro _knows_ with certainty that she wasn't there mere seconds before.

His throat feels constricted and he's unable to breathe properly.

He doesn't know what to believe. Was this all planned? Did Keith send Black to him? What is happening?

"Leave," he says in Black's direction. He's not angry, he realizes. There isn't any amount of anger inside him. Only encompassing hurt. "I don't want to see you _or_ your owner. _What_ are you anyway?"

Black doesn't answer him. Shiro holds his breath because no one knows in this new world of infinite possibilities maybe the damn cat can talk, but she doesn't. She remains there, staring at him.

Shiro can't take it anymore.

"Go away!" he repeats, louder this time, standing up at the same time. He doesn't want to scare Black, not really, but he's acting on instinct more than anything else.

Black blinks at him and for a moment she appears sad, dejected. Hurt. Shiro knows that feeling very well.

The next moment, Black isn't on the table anymore. She has vanished into thin air and Shiro would think he imagined her, if not for the event of the day.

A teleporting cat. Of course. That's why Keith never worried about _how_ she got out. Why he always focused more on where she went rather than how she did it.

Because he has a teleporting cat.

He laughs out loud, feeling the last shred of sanity leave him.

How is he even supposed to accept this? Make sense of it? Move on from it?

Shiro sags on his couch, feeling exhausted. He just wants to sleep and forget about today. He wants to go back to this morning, with an adorably grumpy Keith stomping around the apartment.

When he opens his eyes it's still afternoon. And Shiro is still alone in the house.

 

 

Two days later, he still hasn't talked to Keith. Black hasn't appeared inside his apartment, and the door in front of his has remained firmly closed.

He should be relieved, but he isn't. Honestly, Shiro doesn't know what he wants.

His mind keeps wandering off, unable to focus on the work in front of him. He thinks about Keith, the shop, _Black_. Shiro doesn't know what to do, and it doesn't matter how much he tries to make sense of it, nothing ever becomes clearer.

"You know," Allura says, standing in front of Shiro's desk, "when I gave you two days off, I hoped you would relax. Enjoy your time with Keith, maybe. Not return two days later even more stressed."

Shiro startles, embarrassed to be caught distracted. "I know. I'm sorry. I will focus more and..."

Allura stops him with a gentle touch to his arm. "Shiro, I didn't mean that I was angry. I'm worried for you."

She's genuine, Shiro knows that because Allura always is. She never lies, even in court, she has a way of toying with the truth and use it as her weapon. Twists it in her favor. But she never lies.

"It's..." he shakes his head, looking back at his own hands. He can't explain it to her, wouldn't even know where to begin. She would think he's crazy, and maybe he is. "It's not something I can explain."

Allura's face becomes even more concerned. Shiro knows he has made the situation a million times worse. "Shiro. You can tell me anything, you know that. Is it something the matter? Is it Keith?"

"Yeah. We had a fight," he says, which is not technically a lie. But it doesn't encompass the sea of uncertainty in which Shiro swims now.

"And yet it seems to me like it's so much more." Allura's tone is still gentle, encouraging, but Shiro knows that she won't let him escape before she has an explanation.

The problem is that Shiro doesn't know how to give her one.

"If you need to talk, I'm here for you." Shiro nods, unable to refute that. She has proven it times and times again. Helping Shiro in his weakest moments.

She was the one who helped him after the accident, finding him a job, a sense of purpose. Now Shiro itches with the need to confide in someone and she might be the best choice. If only she believes him.

"Can we... talk after office hour?" he tries then and Allura nods immediately with a smile.

"Of course. Only, we're closing early. Now, I'd say, so we can talk immediately," she announces that and immediately she's on her feet, walking towards the door and locking it.

"What? Allura no, we can't..." Shiro tries to protest, but she silences him with a glare.

"I have some wine in my office, and I'm sure no one will come in the next few hours that can't hold off until tomorrow," she huffs, but her eyes are soft and caring, "today we're helping you."

A smile pulls at his mouth and he's unable to resist it. He loves Allura, and after the past few days, he really needs a friend.

Still, he doesn't know how to broach the argument and he fears that she might not believe him. "Keith has been keeping a secret from me," he says, trying to remain as vague as possible. Maybe he can receive the help he needs and not tell Allura anything.

"A secret? He's not cheating on you, is he?" she asks. Shiro looks up at her, shocked, before shaking his head rapidly.

"No! No! It's nothing... I mean I _think_ it's nothing bad. It's just a part of him that he never told me, and now I'm..." he stops, trying to make sense of the mess that are his feelings. "I respect that it was something personal, and he probably has every right to keep it to himself but..."

"But you're hurt that he didn't trust you enough to confide in you," she finishes for him. Shiro nods, because that's the truth, but not the whole truth.

What Keith has been keeping from him might be a personal thing, but it was also his entire life. Keith has been keeping him separated from _everything_.

"Shiro. What is Keith's secret?" Allura asks him. Her voice is gentle, but there is a strength there that allows no other choice but the truth.

"It's his to reveal," he replies, however. "I can't tell you."

"But you want to," Allura remarks, not unkindly. "You might even need to."

She's right, of course she is, but what kind of terrible man would that make him? Maybe this is why Keith hadn't told him, because he didn't trust him to keep it a secret.

But he needs someone to talk to, and he knows that he can trust Allura with anything.

"If I tell you, we have to make a deal," Shiro says then. He sees Allura's eyes widen in surprise and anticipation.

Making deals with Allura it's always a little strange. There are a lot of rules and she takes them incredibly seriously. Once a deal is struck, she will never break it. As long as the other side of the deal is kept as well.

"I will tell you the truth, but you have to promise me never to say a _word_ about it to anyone," he says, raising a hand. Allura looks at it and then she nods, shaking it.

"We have a deal, Shiro." She says it with gravity, and enough conviction to make Shiro feel immediately better.

It's why he blurts, immediately, "Keith can use magic."

Allura blinks once, twice, and then she looks at him incredibly confused. "Well. Yeah. And?"

This time it's Shiro's turn to remain frozen in shock. "What do you mean _yeah_? My boyfriend has magic and you ask me is _and_? How do _you_ know about his magic?"

Allura immediately smiles, a little regretfully, realizing that she has said more than she should. "When I met him, I could _feel_ his magic, but I thought you knew. About him," then she stops, and admits: "about me too."

"You have magic?" he screams, unable to resist. Two days ago, he didn't even believe in the existence of magic, and now he discovers it's _all around him_.

"Not in the same way Keith does. I'm a Fae, I think you might know my kind as _fairies_. I thought you knew because you've always been good at respecting my culture!"  
"What culture?" Shiro can't help but ask, still shocked.

"The deals!" Allura points out, "and the whole telling the truth thing. You never lie to me, which is considered a very good quality since we literally can't _lie_ to anyone."

"Well, you lied to me! You never told me you were a _Fae_ ," Shiro can't help but point out. Allura only huffs.

"That's not how it works. You never asked me directly. And even then, I can't lie but I can bend the truth. It's a skill that all Fae acquire in time." She seems to be thinking and then she sighs. "But I can understand the problem more clearly now. Keith never told you about his magic and you discovered it by accident."

"I went to Hunk's shop," Shiro reveals, "there was something there. I think it was an Ogre. Keith fought him off with magic. I didn't know what to think! I ran away." He stops, feeling the beginning of hurt, mixed with shame, resurface. "He ran after me and we talked but I was too hurt. I went home to find out more about... anything and then his damn cat appeared in my house _again_ and..."

"Wait," Allura interrupts him. She's looking at him with a strange expression. "His _cat_ came to you?"

"Yeah. Black. She... she always does this. It's how we met. She kept sneaking into my apartment. Well, teleporting I guess," he shrugs, "and then we started talking and..."

"No. Back up. She appeared in your house and Keith didn't know?" she insists, pressing him. Shiro blinks, unclear about why this was important.

"I guess so?" he says, a little confused. "I mean. I'm not sure, but..."

"Oh my God," Allura shouts, looking at Shiro. "He's your _soulmate_."

Shiro blinks. Blinks again. And then he says: "What?"

Allura stands up and she paces around the studio. "Witch’s familiars don’t go around teleporting to people without their witch’s consent. There are only very specific situations when that happens and one of them is definitely if they are the witch’s _soulmate_."

Shiro can barely make sense of _magic_ , he's not sure how he feels about soulmates being thrown into the mix. "Allura, don't be absurd..."

"No, it's true. I can't lie, remember?" she reminds him, with a smile. "You found your soulmate and it's a witch. This is _incredible_."

Shiro isn't sure if he shares her enthusiasm. It's not like the idea of being Keith's soulmate is repulsive. Shiro will forever be a romantic at heart, and the idea of soulmates is one that intrigues him. Also, he's still in love with Keith; the reveal of his real identity has done nothing to erase his feelings.

At the same time, he doesn't know how he should react at the knowledge that there's a destiny already laid out for him and it's with Keith.

Allura must see his hesitation and then she sits back down, looking at him. "You must understand, however, that it doesn't mean you two are connected. If you don't want to be with him, if this is too much, no one forces you."

"I could just... ignore my soulmate?" he wonders, genuinely curious. Allura only shrugs.

"Most people do without even realizing. Not everyone has a soulmate detector. What a familiar does is... give you a chance. But if it's too much, you can walk away and be perfectly happy anyway," she smiles at him, understanding. "Everything is your choice, Shiro."

 

 

That night, alone in his apartment, Shiro can't help but remember Allura's words. After she had revealed the _soulmate_ problem, their talk had been cut short.

Shiro needed to think, and Allura knew to give him space.

Now, Shiro's mind is too full. His mind feels dizzy with possibility and rattled by doubts. Nothing makes sense. Nothing beside one clear, single thing: He loves Keith.

Magic or no magic. Soulmate or no soulmate. The feeling that had been there a week ago, is still there and just as strong.

He might not be able to understand anything else, but he understands this perfectly.

From there, it's easy to make his decision.

Shiro stands up, looking at the room, and calls out: "Black, come here." He waits a couple of seconds, unsure if his plan would even work, before he sees something from the corner of his eyes.

He turns, and Black is there, looking expectantly at him. She's beautiful, and he can't help but pet her. She allows him with a contented purr and Shiro smiles, taking her in his arms. He has a mission to complete.

With Black firmly in his grasp, he walks out of the apartment and towards Keith's door. He takes a big breath, gathering all his courage, before he knocks on the other's door.

He waits there for a minute before the door finally opens. Keith is dressed very differently from the first day Shiro saw him. He doesn't look like he just got out of bed. He looks awake, attentive, and still a little sad.

Shiro's pettiness would like to pretend it's for him.

"Shiro?" Keith asks, surprise clear on his face, "what are you--"

Before Keith can continue, Shiro stops him. "I have your cat," he tells the other with a smile. "I swear I didn't kidnap her, she just appeared out of thin air."

Keith seems too stunned to move before he nods. "Y-yeah. She does that sometimes."

"I didn't want you to worry," Shiro says. It's clear that Keith isn't following what's going on but seems to be too overjoyed about Shiro's presence to react in any way.

"That was very kind of you," Keith says. He's speaking slower than usual, almost as if he's giving himself time to understand the situation. "Would you... would you want to come inside?"

"Yeah. Thank you. I heard my soulmate lives here," Shiro says, without preface, and he can enjoy the way Keith seems to be chocking on nothing.

"How do you?" Keith asks when he has stopped coughing. "Was it Lance? Hunk? I'm--"

"Does it matter?" Shiro smiles at Keith, trying to make the other understand that everything it's all right. If Shiro is here it's because he has made a choice and he intends to follow it to the end.

"I... no. Shiro, you have to believe me, I..." Keith surges forward, stopping mere inches from Shiro. It's like he's forcing himself to put a little distance between them, even if he doesn't want to.

Shiro can only smile. "I want to hear everything, I do. I just... I want to say something first. I don't know about this soulmate thing, but... I love you. If it's the fact that we're destined to be together, or the five months we spent together I don't know, but I don't want to lose that."

"Me too," Keith immediately says. "In the beginning, I tried to ignore this, but I... I love you too. I would do _anything_ to make this work."

Shiro nods, and before he knows it Black teleports away from his arms. Shiro can catch a hint when it literally teleports away from him and he surges forward, cradling Keith's face and kissing him.

Keith startles, surprised, before he melts into Shiro. It's like he allows himself to relax and for the first time, Shiro feels like he finally has all of Keith.

There are no more secrets, no more lies. They'll have to talk and Shiro has too many questions to count, but at this moment, he doesn't even remember one. He's too focused on Keith, the feel of his lips, the heat from his body. Shiro could spend the rest of his life kissing Keith and be happy about it.

A second later, however, their kiss is interrupted by a sudden sound. They spring apart only to see Green run away from a destroyed lamp. They both blink, a little surprised, but when the cat looks back, Shiro suspects that the destruction isn't so accidental.

"Will your other familiars ever like me?" he asks, unable to stop himself.

Keith blinks, surprised at the question and possibly because Shiro called them his familiars but then he smiles. He looks much happier now, rested and carefree. "I really think they will," he reassures Shiro, taking his hand, "they'll have all the time in the world to learn to love you too."

Shiro can't help but smile back at him and agree.

**Author's Note:**

> Since I couldn't put this in the story in a natural way, these are the lion's afffinity in regards to Keith's magic:  
> Blue: Healing/Helping magic. Blue's focus is mostly on protection magic, we can see him brush Keith's leg when he casts the protection spell on the door. Keith can use healing magic but he's terrible at it. (Also Blue is a Russian Blue cat)  
> Yellow: Transumation and Alchemy. It's why Yellow likes Hunk and the shop so much.  
> Green: Creation of magic. Green is the cat that is attuned to Keith's ability to create new spells. She's the most curious and restless of the cats. Especially because Keith doesn't invent a lot of spells.  
> Red: Offensive magic. Usually Fire based. It's Keith's strong point and Red is the familiar he's more connected to.  
> Black: Linked to Soul magic. Keith can't use soul magic at all, it's usually considered a darkest branch. But it can also be connected to soulmates.
> 
> Thank you everyone for your attention. Once again, go and look at izzy's incredible art. I love it so much ;;  
> As always a kudos or a comment goes a long way!  
> You can talk to me on twitter @chiapslock


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